A foreign lorry driver who knocked over and killed a cyclist is facing jail.

Polish national Robert Plichta mowed down Barabra Brown, 53, on the A259 in Littlehampton.

She died in hospital hours after the crash on the afternoon of April 27 last year - having met her new grandchild just once.

A jury of eight men and four women took two hours to convict Plichta, 24, of causing death by dangerous driving at Chichester Crown Court yesterday (Thurs).

In court it was revealed that Mrs Bone had been looking forward to being a grandmother when Daisy was born two months before the accident.

Lucy Jenkins, Mrs Bone's daughter, revealed that after the accident she discovered unopened presents for Daisy at her mum's flat.

It also emerged that Mrs Bone's son Richard, whom she had given up for adoption due to her illness, was due to meet his mother for the first time.

In a victim impact statement read out in court, Mrs Jenkins said: "Due to illness before Daisy's birth, a traumatic birth and caesarean section, I did not see as much of my mum as I had wanted to.

"Her sudden death has taken away the chance of her being the grandma she wanted to be.

"When mum first died I found it difficult to sleep and when I closed my eyes I pictured her bouncing off a bonnet and lying on a grass verge."

Mrs Bone, of Arundel Road, Littlehampton, was well known in the area where she lived with her husband Bill.

Mrs Jenkins added: "My mum had suffered from mental illness for a long time. Recently since she married Bill she had got a lot better and she had found a purpose in life.

"Years ago due to my mum's illness she had to give up her son Richard for adoption.

"I had recently found him and unfortunately he never got the chance to meet her. He attended the funeral and met her family there."

Married Plichta was working as a delivery driver for a Littlehampton garden centre at the time of the accident.

He had been driving for some seven years and had obtained an HGV licence two months before moving to England in July 2006.

The court earlier heard how Plichta stopped after the accident and rushed to give Mrs Bone first aid.

Plichta, of Toddington Lane, Wick, near Littlehampton, was arrested after the accident but refused to comment in two police interviews.

In court, Judge Anthony Thorpe called for action over the road and said the stretch of road was "inherently dangerous".

Mrs Bone had been riding the cycle inside the outer lane markings on the single carriageway at the time of the crash.

Police investigations had shown Mrs Bone was hit at either 40mph or 41mph. The limit is 40mph.

Mr Thorpe said it was "impossible" for any vehicle to overtake safely on that stretch of the A259 and urged the police and local authorities to review the situation.

Plichta was bailed and will be sentenced at Chichester Crown Court on May 6.